Month: December 2005

Rating: 4 stars and a half
Trick Trick’s brand new album The People VS is due to release very soon. One of Trick Trick’s songs, No More To Say has been leaked on the net and will give you some insight about how the album will look like. Be prepared for some intense moments of a scary typical Detroit gangsta atmosphere with Eminem and Proof’s contribution. The dark song is introduced by siren alike sounds combined with violins and bells. The very rapid rhythm lead by drums and claps will immediately make you feel the sticky atmosphere. Glockmatics are ready to shoot.
Trick Trick shuts down people who « talk too much ». Gossipers have no chance of survival with Trick Trick. If you don’t wanna meet the reaper, you’d better not run your mouth.
Somebody who had listened to the same song and who had rated it as bad told me that it wasn’t easy to rap on such a rapid rhythm. Yes, that’s actually true, but that also makes the beauty of the song. Not any average rapper can flow on that song.
Scary landscape, scary atmosphere, voices yelling in the background: Eminem speaks out next. Better say your prayers for this player because he is going to his grave.
Proof of D12 is the kind of guy you’d better not mess with in real life. In a murderous mood, his words spit as fast as bullets from a beretta’s mouth. Flesh gets burnt with the hottest verbal weapons
Proof mentions the beef with rapper Everlast.
There’s nothing more these words can say. Don’t mess with Trick Trick and his crew or this might be your last day.
Beautiful song with a sophisticated rhythm handled by three brilliant Detroit artists. Enough said!
P.S: somebody sent me Trick Trick’s The People VS album, so expect a hot review in a very near future!

Wanna have a foretaste of the album? No More To Say featuring Eminem and Proof out of The People Vs will make you appreciate a typical Detroit hood atmosphere that only Trick Trick can create…expect a heated review of an explosive song very soon!

People prompt to forget about you once you retire from the rapping scene. E- Strong was present in early years of Michigan hip hop. His long time break made people forget about him for a while.
Today E-Strong is back and stronger than ever. He has some brand new tracks out of his yet unreleased Blazed Out 2006 album.
The nickname E-Strong stands for Eric Strong.
The first track Feel My Truth is inspired from Jay-Z’ s Moment of Clarity.
The rhythmic track based on a Jay-Z sample introduces you into a quite offensive rhyming atmosphere where E-Strong questions honesty and real friendship.
Dear God starts with piano sounds and soft vocals; the song in itself is a prayer to God from a child who questions God about the reasons of his mom’s death. When you have lost your beloved ones, you feel lonely in this world and helpless.
E- Strong visits his mom’s grave as he passes the gates of the cemetery. As he puts some roses on her grave stone, he is trying to find some reasons for her early departure. As he questions God, he starts a touching dialogue with God. His mom is watching him from Heaven and hears sorrows from a bleeding heart.
Song Nr 3, My, gets very lyrical. Piano, violin and keyboard sounds introduce the very rapid rhythmic song. E-Strong is determined to conquer the world with his rhymes and flow. He feels like it is his time to shine and he is taking over with confidence. Very good and enjoyable song that I particularly recommend to E- Strong’s listeners.
The last song, Let’s Go To The Club will lead you to a lighter clubbing atmosphere. Follow him to the club and the rhythm guide you.
Globally, E- Strong has some good hip hop to offer to his audience. Check him out at his my space account.

E-Strong is a Michigan emcee who has years of experience behind him. He might have been a little bit unnoticed on the Detroit scene, because he took a several years break…however E-Strong is back with some brand new tracks.
Signed to Blazed Out Records, an indie label, E- Strong has some new songs to offer to his listeners. I will give you the opportunity to explore his world very soon…

Global rating of the product: 3.75 stars
Worth your buy
CD review
Detroit City might be one of the coldest North American cities, hip hop can transform it into the most heated place in no time. A pen and a mic and an accurate sense of ghetto reality, this is all a real emcee needs to make you feel the atmosphere of a heated speech that expresses the reality of rap game and the streets of Detroit.
Shane Capone is one of those Detroit rap veterans who have earned some respect through their hard work and impressing flow.
His brand new Heated Speech double CD is definitely worth your interest.
Besides Shane’s talent, the album looks good. The lyrics are included in his CD, which is certainly enjoyable for the listener.
Guess Who’s Back introduces you into a Detroit hustler’s world. Rhythmic and lyrically enjoyable, it will certainly please the listener’s ears. Shane Capone can flow too.
Walk With Me starts in a dark hood style combined with some keyboard and drum sounds. Walk with him and enjoy the nice Rock City style he put into his song.
A Pen And A Mic is all about reality raps. Being white and reciting your 8 Mile script ain’t enough to be convincing when you‘re an emcee, you have to be convincing in your words and actions. Shane Capone is back to set the record straight.
Among the tracks I liked very much, I’d recommend you Guess Who’s Back, Ain’t Fucking Around, A Pen and A Mic and Theme Of A Hustler.
Globally, Shane Capone did some good work. A good flow delivery, some catchy beats and good instrumentals and a great lyrical effort make this album highly enjoyable for the listener.
Listen to the 14 track CD and enjoy Shane Capone’s particular « Detroit pimping » style.
DVD review
The DVD is divided in 4 parts:
-Documentary
-Ain’t fucking around video
-the making of the video
– XXX tra shit
The documentary will allow you to travel through the streets of Detroit and to have some insight about the dramatic circumstances of Shane Capone’s childhood. This part is also very informative for people who want to learn more about the early days of Detroit rap. Shane takes you back to the days Eminem and Uncle ILL were collaborating with local rapper Champtown and were both featured in his Doo Da Dippity video.
Part II will allow you to watch the video to the Ain’t Fucking Around song. If you like it gangsta and hardcore, you will probably enjoy the hustler theme video.
Part III will reveal you the secrets of the making of Ain’t Fucking Around. Guns , cars and hot girls are on Shane Capone’s list.
Part 4 is obviously some « XXXtra shit » aimed at an adult public. If you’re not too much prudish to watch this sequence , you will see Shane signing some of his groupies’ tits, bellies and butts on an Uh Huh song background that particularly fits with the situation.

It is quite terrible to envision that your life might be into the hands of one single man. A man who has the power of life and death on you.
Stanley Tookie Williams, a Death Row prisoner accused of 4 murders, who constantly claimed his innocence, died on December the 13th, 2005 by lethal injection, because governor Arnold Schwarzenegger denied him clemency.
Stanley Tookie Williams was born on December the 29th, 1953 in New Orleans, Louisiana. As a little kid he moved to L.A. Tookie Williams would soon be known as a « street fighter ».
In 1969, Raymond Washington founded a gang: The Crips. Stanley William Tookie joined The Crips in 1971. The gang’s original aim was to keep the streets safe from violence and police brutality.
« We started out—at least my intent was to, in a sense—address all of the so-called neighboring gangs in the area and to put, in a sense—I thought I can cleanse the neighborhood of all these, you know, marauding gangs. But I was totally wrong. And eventually, we morphed into the monster we were addressing. »
(Tookie Williams)
Tookie Williams was convicted with the murders of 4 Asian people in 1981 and was facing felony charges for robbery.
Since his incarceration to his last day (December the 13th, 2005), Tookie Williams always claimed his innocence. I’m not here to debate whether he was innocent or not. Frankly, I don’t know. However, I would like to understand why clemency has been denied to a man, who -obviously- mended his ways.
At the beginning, Tookie Williams had been involved in several fights against room inmates and guards. Punished for his numerous assaults, Tookie spent 6 and a half years in solitary confinement. Six years during which he had enough time to think about his actions and to analyze his past.
Back from his solitary confinement, Tookie Williams launched an « anti gang crusade » and started putting his thoughts on paper, writing books in order to educate kids against gangs and criminality.
Stanley Tookie Williams’ bibliography is quite impressing (credit to wikipedia dot com)
Blue Rage, Black Redemption: A Memoir (Paperback) by Stanley Tookie Williams, 2005, (PB)
Gangs and Drugs (Williams, Stanley. Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence,) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 9-12
Gangs and Self-Esteem: Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence (Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1999, (PB) , 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 4-8
Gangs and the Abuse of Power (Williams, Stanley. Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence.) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 9-12
Gangs and Violence (Williams, Stanley. Tookie Speaks Out Against Gangs.) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 4-8
Gangs and Wanting to Belong (Williams, Stanley. Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence.) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 9-12
Gangs and Weapons (Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence) by Stanley Tookie Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) , 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 9-12
Gangs and Your Friends (Williams, Stanley. Tookie Speaks Out Against Gangs.) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) , 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 4-8
Gangs and Your Neighborhood (Williams, Stanley. Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence.) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) , 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 4-8
Life in Prison by Stanley Tookie Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1998, (PB) , 80 pages, Reading level: Ages 4-8 (royalties donated to the Institute for the Prevention of Youth Violence)
Redemption : From Original Gangster to Nobel Prize Nominee – The Extraordinary Life Story of Stanley Tookie Williams (Paperback) by Stanley Williams, 200
Many people were mobilized in order to save Stanley Tookie Williams’ life. Snoop Dogg in particular spoke in favor of him.
Listen to Tookie’s message from Death Row.
I am quite shocked to know that Arnold Schwarzenegger decided that a man like Tookie Williams (despite his criminal past and his numerous mistakes) -who decided to totally change his way of life in favor of peace, educating young kids not to take the route he took- had to die by lethal injection.
A life sentence at Death Row would have been largely sufficient. Some of you probably have no idea about it, but the detention conditions at Death Row are quite horrible. I have been corresponding with a Death Row inmate for nearly three years and he told me about what was going on at Arizona Death Row Florence jail.
Do you know that most of the prisoners get the cheapest food and that hygienic conditions are not respected at all. It is quite frequent that prisoners find worms in their meals. Prisoners can get confronted by violence, rape and murder every single day. Living at Death Row is a matter of survival.
Ok, many of them might be horrible criminals. They are nevertheless human beings. Many have to take responsibility for their actions and repair what they have done wrong towards society. But they should be granted a second chance in ANY CASE.
I do consider that even the worst criminal deserves a second chance.
When a man or a woman claims their innocence, the presumption of innocence should be taken into account. I have read several cases of innocent people (not even American citizens) being sentenced to death at Death Row. Those facts are quite horrible. Why should somebody die for crimes he hasn’t committed?
One reason why Arnold Schwarzenegger didn’t grant Tookie clemency was the fact that he never apologized for the crimes he had been charged with. Let’s suppose that Tookie was innocent of the crimes he had been accused for: why should somebody confess a crime he hasn’t committed?
In case he was guilty, it is a matter of fact Tookie has done a lot in favor of redemption and reparation. Knowing the huge efforts he had done mending his ways, he should have been able to walk free from Death sentence.
May you rest in peace Stanley Tookie Williams.

Detroit Veteran Shane Capone…I have just recieved his brand new Heated Speech CD and will review it in a near future:)

Lo Key belongs to chose kind of very complete and creative artists who manage to combine various styles of music and who stay true to the roots of hip hop culture at the same time. Hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Lo Key doesn’t shy away from political engagement. His FGWB (Fuck George W. Bush) song starts with some piano sounds combined with prayer alike vocals and catchy beats, pointing out the dramatic background. The artist’s voice is combined with dark and rapid sounds. Lo Key urges people to watch the news and to open their eyes.
« I see the pain in the rise, the fear of the system, they’re crying for peace but nobody listens… »
Because of greedy politicians, so many innocent lives are taken away. Suicidal bombers spread death around them all around the world. Politicians start hypocritical « anti terrorist campaigns » forgetting that they (George Bush in particular) are the main cause of those disasters.
Nice « Fuck G.W Bush anthem » that probably won’t leave engaged hip hop lovers indifferent.
Among the other songs from The Bootleg Ep 2005 Ab Projects, I’d recommend you a very lyrical and rhythmic track such as Simply Elevated.
Lo Key whose numerous vocal and lyrical talents are exposed on his my space account is one of those emcees who manages to make you share his passion for rap music.
Influenced by numerous musical genres such as classical, jazz, rock funk and hip hop, he exploits his many original influences in order to make you feel his passion.
Original, inventive, engaged, Lo Key is also very gifted at handling instrumentals. Open your ears, listen to AbOrigine and let the instruments and the rhythm guide you into his universe.
Learn more about Lo Key on his official website.

I think that Moby should have deserved to get shot twice or even trice on stage while Eminem was performing Without Me.
In a recent statement, Moby literally called Eminem out for « murder ».
Christopher Duncan, a mad Eminem fan who -obviously- sought his inspiration in the Stan video- murdered his girlfriend an horrible way.
After he heard about the news, Moby wrote “Maybe there’s no connection. Maybe there is” on his website (Moby.com).
During his Mojo In the Morning, being asked about the crazy Stan who was making the headlines, Eminem said in his own words and with his typical sense of humor that he was innocent. Which is true. Why should Eminem be held responsible for any nutcase imitating Stan’s behavior, a behavior Eminem wants to prevent fools from acting in a similar way?
Since you’re an adult and in possession of your means, you are fully responsible of your acts. It is stupid and worthless to blame Eminem for some crazed fans’ actions.
Moby went that far to accuse people who helped promoting Eminem’s music to « have blood on their hands »:
“Any employee of a record company or journalist or radio programmer or mtv employee who has promoted and celebrated misogynistic or homophobic music should be ashamed. You have blood on your hands, and you should be deeply, deeply troubled at the culture that you’ve helped to create.”
Now tell me, Moby, how much are you aware of hip hop culture? Talking about misogyny and homophobia, it is simply inherent to hip hop culture. Years before Eminem, hip hop legend Eazy E wrote Eazy Duz It. The lyrics are as misogynistic sounding as Eminem’s:
Well I’m Eazy-E, I got bitches galore
You may have a lot of bitches but I got much more
Wit my super duper group coming out to shoot
Eazy-E, muthafukas cold knocking the boots
‘Cause I’m a hip-hop thugster, I used to be a mugster
If you heard Compton, you think I own a drugstore
Getting stupid because I know how
And if a sucker talks shit, I give him a (POW)
8 ball sipping, the bitches are flipping
Slow down, I hit a dipping, continue my tripping
Hitting my switches, collect from my bitches
The money that I make so I can add to my riches
Fill my stash box and start rubbing my gat
Feeling good as hell because my pockets are fat
A hardcore villian cold roaming the streets
And wit a homie like Dre just supplying the beats
(Chorus)
Because I’m a gansta having fun
Never leave the pad without packing a gun
Hitting hard as fuk, I make you ask what was it
Boy you should have known by now, Eazy duz it
I was knocking muthafukas out
What’s your name boy
Funky, fresh Eazy-E
Kick, kick that shit
Where you from fool, Compton, yea
Rolling through the hood, cold tearing shit up
Stick my head out the window and I say what’s up
To the niggaz on the corner cold bumping the box
But you know that’s an alibi for slanging the rocks
A dice game started so I said what the fuk
So I put my shit in park and had to try my luck
Hard to roll wit my bitch jocking 24-7
Rolled them muthafukas, ate ’em up, hit 11
Got another point, I made a ten a fo’
Was taking niggaz money and was itching for mo’
Laughing in their faces and said you’re all making me rich
Till one punk got jealous, cold slap my bitch
He pulled out his gat, I knew he wouldn’t last
So I said to myself, homeboy, you better think fast
He shot (gunshots), I shot (gunshots)
As you can see, I cold broke his ass (ha ha)
Chorus
(Wait a minute, wait a minute, who does it)
Muthafuking Eazy duz it
But how does he do it
Eazy duz it do it eazy
That’s what I’m doing
STOP
Man whatcha gonna do now
Now I’m a break it down just to tell a little story
Straight out the box from the gangsta category
About a sucker, a sucker muthafuka
He’s addicted, he’s a smoker but in Compton called a clucker
he used to have a house car and golden rings
But the cooky cooky crack took all those things
he must of been starving ’cause he broke in my house
Caught the nigga on the street and straight took his ass out
Now I wanted for a murder that I had to commit
Yea I went to jail but that wasn’t shit
Got to the station about a quarter of nine
Call my bitch to get me out ’cause I was down for mine
The bitch was a trip cold hung up the phone
Now my only phone call was in the ganking zone
All the things I did for her like keeping her rich
I swear when I get out, I’m gonna kill the bitch
Well by now you should know it was just my luck
The baliff of the station was a neighborhood cluck
I looked him straight in the eye and said what’s up
And said let’s make a deal, you know I’ll do you up
Now back on the streets and my records are clean
I creeped on my bitch wit my uzi machine
Went to the house and kicked down the do’
Unloaded like hell, cold smoked the ho
Chorus
From around the way, born in ’73
Harcore B-boy named Eazy-E
It’s ’88 now, ’73’s obselete
A nigga wit a serious ass attitude and 100 treet
And if you all wanna hear some more
In one way or the other, I’m a bad brother
Word to the muthafuka
You will find misogynic and homophobic lyrics in hip hop from the good old school raps to the most recent new school songs. It is inherent to hip hop culture. Should I also remind you that female rappers can go very hardcore too and diss men as well? It is part of the game.
I have been listening to rap music for years. As an adult female listener, I never felt offended by terms like « bitch », « slut » or « hoe ». Why?
Simply because I do consider that there are two categories of women: the slutty ones and the ones who are respected by men. I place myself in the right category. Women have to respect themselves in their way of acting if they want to own men’s respect. It is that simple.
First, regarding « homophobia », the common term « fag » is used by Eminem and many other rappers with the following meaning « coward » or « sissy ». Eminem is not the only rapper to use those words. But since he is a white rapper, people are very sensitive to his words.
Most of them people who are shocked by his words have never taken time to listen to rap music, but they are very judgmental about what they hear.
Second, Eminem has to be read between the lines, with a solid sense of humor. If you take each of his words literally, you will have all reasons to hate him or to think he is mad.
The beauty of Eminem’s music lies in his subtle rhymes and wordplays. If you don’t get his sense of humor, give it up and go listen to something else.
Yes, I listen to his song Criminal and I happen to enjoy its content.
I don’t discriminate against gays and lesbians because I listen to Eminem. I never felt like that. Some of my friends are gays and lesbians. I don’t care about their sexual orientation and don’t criticize it. A friend is a friend regardless of his/ her sexual orientation.
How much hypocritical are you, Moby?
It looks like you really want some attention from Marshall. First you praise his Mosh video and advice your fans to watch it and now you draw the dark picture of a monster when talking about him.
Moby, let me tell you something: you don’t understand Eminem’s lyrics. It really looks like Eminem is much more subtle than you will ever be.
Now you also go that far to accuse the journalists who promote Eminem’s music to have « bloods on their hands ».
Yes, Moby, I do promote Marshall Mathers’ music and I do it proudly. He is an amazing lyricist and I happen to admire his talent very much.
Yes I get every inch of Slim Shady’s sarcastic humor and I do consider that promoting Eminem’s music is also a good way for people not to misinterpret it. I have reviewed many of his underground and mainstream songs. I have expressed about some crazy fans too.
However , I don’t feel responsible for each groupie jumping off the bridge nor do I feel guilty for each murderous fan of his.
Eminem has 9 million fans in this world. Why would he babysit and watch all of us? He is doing his job and let me do mine.

– Moby made a statement about Eminem and the persons who promote his music (like me). I totally disagree with what he said and I will tell you why.
– Lo Key is an interesting artist from the Detroit scene. I will introduce you to him in a very near future.
– Arnold Schwarzenegger denied clemency to a death row prisoner. I’d like to express on this subject too.